It’s no secret that ACL injuries are an epidemic in sports, especially women’s soccer.
We’ve witnessed several high-profile professionals grappling with this injury. Just last year alone, notable names such as Arsenal’s Leah Williamson and Vivianne Miedema, USWNT and Chelsea midfielder Catarina Macario, and Barcelona and Spain’s prized striker Alexia Putellas fell victim to it. Even in the early months of 2024, the tally continues to rise: Chelsea’s & USWNT’s rising star Mia Fishel in a USWNT camp training (January); Sam Kerr, Chelsea striker and Australian poster child in a Chelsea training camp (January), USWNT winger Midge Purce in a recent NJ/NY Gotham FC match (March). Just weeks ago, Washington Spirit defender Anna Heilferty and Bay FC midfielder Alex Loera suffered the season-ending injury.
Women’s soccer players are two to six times more likely to injure their ACLs than male players, and two-thirds of these injuries occur without physical contact. And the number of players who fall to this injury appears to continue to increase.
The pressing question: Why?
The answer: It’s complicated… but it’s also been massively understudied.
Understandably, fans and players want answers. Many players, including Beth Mead, Lucy Bronze, and Vivianne Miedema,…
